A Dead and Empty Soul
by Starfire201
Summary: "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." – Confucius. Revenge is never worth the price you pay.


**A/N 1: **I originally wasn't planning to write a story or even a drabble about Sasuke as I read a very good one recently called "These Walls" by someonestolemyname and didn't think I could measure up to that author's writing. In fact, I still don't believe I could match how well it was done. But after reading the latest chapter of Naruto, I felt this was somehow apt. I guess you could say the latest chapter and someonestolemy name gave me some much needed inspiration. If you haven't read Chapter 394, then be aware there is a spoiler or two within.

**Disclaimer: **I only own this story.

* * *

Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and ugly within us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there. – Eric Hoffer (1902 – 1983)

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. – Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)

**A Dead and Empty Soul**

A lone figure lies on the floor of a ruined shrine as the rain pours down. A fierce battle has concluded just moments ago, a battle that ended in victory for him, yet there is no satisfaction or triumphant feelings coursing through him. He cannot understand this.

_Itachi is dead, his corpse next to me. The first part of my vengeance is complete. So why do I feel nothing? Itachi was a monster. He murdered the clan and left me alive hoping I would gain the Mangekyo Sharingan. The Uchihas died all because my brother's obsession with gaining immortality as Uchiha Madara once did through stealing the eyes of his own brother. His death was long overdue._ No matter how much Uchiha Sasuke repeats this inside, all that comes is a strange sort of sadness, along with a sense of failure.

_Why do I feel this? I cannot be grieving for a monster. _And yet the memories flow through his head repeatedly. Sasuke replays the memories of his brother telling him how the Uchihas were a strong clan, with great importance due to their position as Konoha's police force. Memories of shuriken practice in the woods surface. Memories of the respect he held his brother in. He tries to focus on the jealousy he felt due to his father's favoritism of Itachi, and the bloody memories of that night, but it does little to erase the strange sadness he feels.

The sense of failure Sasuke feels, he does understand. In the end, Itachi's death resulted from the strain of battle, along with the extreme stress of overusing the Mangekyo Sharingan. No matter what Sasuke attempted, Itachi was always able to counter it. When Itachi failed with Tsukuyomi, he tried his second ability, Amaterasu. The Amaterasu ability failed due to Sasuke calling on the lightning to aid him with a Chidori variation. As the battle intensified, Itachi grew progressively weaker. The third ability was the killing blow. He summoned a warrior through Susanoo. This warrior destroyed the part of Orochimaru within Sasuke, when he forced his way out of him. However, this ability destroyed Itachi as well. He started coughing up blood the moment the jutsu took actual form. Itachi finally had Sasuke trapped against a wall, his fingers an inch before his eyes, when death claimed him. Sasuke had not even the satisfaction of saying he killed Itachi. In the end, Itachi died a natural death.

_It was my __**right**__ to destroy him! He deserved the type of death he gave to the clan! It's not fair!_ Sasuke grimaces, knowing he sounds like a petulant child. However, he recognizes he cannot change one ultimate fact: his brother is dead and Sasuke failed in his self-imposed mission. As he loses consciousness, his face is wet with rain and, surprisingly, tears. Tears for his failure along with realization. He sought revenge, succeeded in obtaining a portion of it, yet now he is alone. The sadness finally disappears, but satisfaction fails to rise in its place. As consciousness fades, he finally understands all he will feel now until the day he dies is emptiness and nothing more for when Itachi died, so did his soul.

* * *

**A/N: **It may not be the best thing I ever wrote, but I hope it has succeeded in capturing a bit of Sasuke's personality. If not, I apologize to his fans out there.


End file.
